System and method for continuous steam injected citrus peel cellular expansion

ABSTRACT

A system and method for processing citrus peel treating by injecting steam into citrus peel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Applicant claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 60/950,529 filed on Jul. 18, 2007, the entire content of whichis incorporated herein by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a portion of a process of an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 shows another portion of a process of an embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 3 shows a third portion of a process of an embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of the present invention provides an improved system,method and apparatus for injecting steam into citrus peel. It isunderstood, however, that the following disclosure provides manydifferent embodiments, or examples, for implementing different featuresof the invention. Specific examples of components, signals, messages,protocols, and arrangements are described below to simplify the presentdisclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intendedto limit the invention from that described in the claims. Well knownelements are presented without detailed description in order not toobscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part,details unnecessary to obtain a complete understanding of the presentinvention have been omitted inasmuch as such details are within theskills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. Detailsregarding control circuitry described herein are omitted, as suchcontrol circuits are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill inthe relevant art.

Current citrus peel waste processing is based upon processing technologythat is at least 70 years old. It is largely unprofitable, grosslyineffective, and adds non-combusted fuel oil to the peel mass when fueloil is used as a direct fire heat source. The process is also a highuser of energy and very problematic to operate.

The traditional method employed to process citrus peel waste harbors awide array of harmful side effects. As one example, since toxic chemicaldewatering agents are used in current citrus peel processing operations,use of the end product of dried peel is limited to one product—a toxiccattle feed supplement.

In addition, current processed citrus peel cannot be used as a singularnon-supplemental individual feed source for cattle. Doing so would bevery harmful to the cattle due to the feed's high toxicity resultingfrom direct fuel oil firing, if used, as well as from the chemicaldewatering agent(s). Moreover, no human consumable product can bemanufactured from current processed/dried citrus peel mass.

In addition the chemical dewatering agent widely used today is CalciumOxide (CaO), which reacts with other naturally occurring compounds inthe peel to create many processes encumbering carbonate, sulfite, andnitrate compounds. In addition, the carbonate family of compounds formhard stone-like scale deposits during processing over the contactsurfaces. This “stone like scale” drastically reduces heat transfer inthe already highly inefficient 1930 sugar beet based technology (e.g.rotary dryers, which are typically direct fired when using fuel oil). Aswith other fuel oil burners, total combustion is never achieved, thusthe citrus peel absorbs the toxic non-combusted or partially combustedfuel oil, which adds to the already toxic side affects of today'sstandard process dried citrus peel.

Piping internals, waste heat evaporator heat exchanger tube surfaces,rotary dryer internals, etc. become “plated” with a stone-like surfacethat is mostly Calcium Carbonate known as limestone. High pressure“laser water guns” can marginally slow the build up, but are generallyineffective in removing the ever increasing scale build up. The veryhigh temperature combustion temperatures created from the dryer fuel oilburner, like that of natural gas burners that are widely used can exceed1,500 deg. F., and acts like a “slake kiln dryer” to tenaciously hardenthe carbonates onto all dryer contact surfaces. Over years of use, therotary dryer constantly loses what little efficiency that it had whenconstructed down to levels below 25%.

The current antiquated, high energy citrus peel process and dryingmethodology is used by the citrus juice extraction industry as astandard methodology that processes the peel into a rationed cattle feedproduct—which is the only current form of the dry mass end product. Someprocessors pelletize the end dried product called “flake” to decreasetransportation costs by increasing the material's density. Governmentalregulations mandate any citrus processor that processes over 2,000,000boxes per year must process the waste peel into a dried flake form.There are a few exceptions to this mandate: some facilities own andoperate their own citrus groves or cattle grazing land of adequate sizeon which they deposit raw peel as a way around the mandate. Thispractice is being reviewed by the EPA and other governmental agencies inefforts to disallow this loophole.

However, profitable opportunities are lost by use of the currentantiquated citrus peel processing method. Additionally, although biomasscan be extracted from peel waste, it is not possible due to the currentnon-food grade processing methodology and the lack of equipment withstainless steel construction and/or stainless steel contact surfacesnecessary to facilitate food processing criteria.

There are only two popular other citrus peel process designs, yetneither is employed in any commercial use due to their individualeconomic, operational, and environmental limitations. One such designintegrates an explosive solvent (alcohol) and poses imminent mortaldanger to plant personnel as well as destructive potential buildingdamage when and if it becomes operational. This particular design isquite similar to the procedures employed in crude soya oil processing(commonly referred to as crude vegetable oil) extraction facilitieswhich uses hexane as the solvent of choice. However, many vaporexplosions have occurred within the soya processing industry whichproduced heavy facility damage as well as loss of life. This design isknown as a rotocell batch design. Solvent extraction systems require anexorbitant amount of solvent in an attempt to extricate bound sugar/oilfrom their respective materials by flooding or washing a prepared soybean flake with solvent. Considering the explosive atmosphere created bythe use of the very volatile solvent for citrus peel processing, theextensive and costly use of explosion proof electric motors, non-sparkgenerating tools/equipment, an extensive array of gaseous vapor recoveryequipment, the required use of vapor condensers, air/liquid and solidmaterial pollution abatement equipment associated with this design, itis easy to understand why this process is generally considered to beundesirable and very unprofitable to install and operate commercially.

The other batch process method, which is an improvement over theflammable solvent method, uses large volumes of heated water as itssolvent. For every pound of raw peel processed, nearly 3 pounds ofheated water is required to supersaturate processed peel and peel cakemasses. In addition, high capacity evaporative equipment is required toprocess the water/oil/sugar emulsion into their respective individualcomponents; evaporative water, d-limonene, and peel sugar concentrate(known commonly as molasses). However, capital costs are high for theevaporation equipment and the required energy costs to process the wateris excessive in today's energy conscious climate. With these limitingand costly characteristics, the process is generally deemed uneconomicalto install and operate. To this day, no batch water solvent system hasbeen installed as a pilot plant or commercial operation.

Moreover, water batch designs produce an emulsion usually not greaterthan 4.5 deg. brix and require extensive evaporative equipment to do so.A batch type peel processing system needs large volumes of heated waterand storage vessels in which to immerse the peel and create hot waterslurry of 140 deg. F. The excessive amount of water is needed to createa lower viscosity mixture in the attempt to make the slurry easier tomix and pump. This is time consuming and costly in an effort to replacethe sugars/oils bound within the peel mass with water. In addition, thetime required and the great amount of water needed to accomplish thistask is high and at times can exceed 45 minutes/batch cycle.

In contrast, the continuous steam injection process of an embodiment ofthe present invention operates continuously without forming a processbatch. A batch system requires many large volume tanks, high horsepowertank agitators, and high capacity/high horsepower pumps to constantlykeep the peel slurry in motion to minimize liquid/solid separation,whereas a system of the present invention does not require large volumebatch tanks with high horsepower agitators as are necessary with a batchsystem.

Moreover, the capital and operating costs of the water batch solventdesign are extremely high. Further, batch methods create a very dilutedemulsion, when run through a standard vertical or horizontal screwpress, of usually no more than 4.5 degree brix and require high tonnage(evaporative water capacity) evaporative equipment to concentrate thelow brix sugar emulsion and attempt to strip d-limonene (peel oil) fromthe emulsion.

Consequently, no alcohol solvent or super-water batch saturation citruspeel process (i.e. batch tank design) are commercially employed todaydue to the many inherent process limitations, impracticalities, andeconomic/environmental limitations associated with these types ofapproaches. These processes are also energy excessive in their operatingrequirements and the alcohol solvent peel oil/sugar extraction processis explosive. To address and eliminate these restrictive issues andincrease the extraction of additional mass from the citrus peel,requiring minimal processing equipment and personnel, a highly efficientcontinuous steam injection process using no explosive solvents or batchprocessing methodology, is employed by an embodiment of the presentinvention.

The process and methodology described herein illustrates how additionalamounts of citrus peel value added by-products meeting food-gradequality standards can be produced. For example, such food-grade productsproduced include: citrus peel oil, fermentable sugars, and a processedcitrus peel dry mass that exceeds pectin pomace quality. These productsare made by utilizing a continuous steam injection process to properlytreat prepared citrus peel and actually expand and/or rupture thecellular structure within the peel mass with an extremely low volume ofwater addition.

Strategically and continuously injecting clean live steam into theconveyed citrus peel slurry mass (either raw cut peel or pressed peelcake) utilizes the rapid release of heat into the condensing mass whensteam condenses and thus the liquid in the peel changes into a vapor orgas. This abrupt change of state in the bound water within the peelstructure triggers the expansion and/or rupture of the citrus peel cellwhen the water within the peel escapes as gaseous vapors. Rupturing orexpanding the peel cells allows the release of bound water, sugars, andoils found in the outer surface of the peel (flavedo). While the flavedois more dense than the inner surface (albedo) which also has boundwater, the water in the albedo is not as tenaciously bound. Rupturingthe cell sac facilitates release of the bound water and peel oil withineach of the two parts of the peel (flavedo and albedo.)

Now referring generally to FIGS. 1-3, an embodiment of the presentinvention includes three separate progressive continuous steaminjection/mixing and pressing stages 102, 104, 106. Counter washing ofthe pressed cake or raw cut peel, is used to maximize oil/sugar removalfrom the peel. These progressive and continuous processing stages 102,104, 106, positioned in series, employ the use of mechanical pressingequipment, where liquid/solid separation is readily accomplished. Usingthis process configuration and three blanch 110, 112, 114 and pressstages 120, 122, 124 positioned in-series provides continuous processingresulting in a high quality food-grade citrus peel mass in a pectinpomace cake product. When the third. and final stage produces a pectinpomace cake 130 that is properly dried, a very high quality, food grade,pectin pomace citrus peel mass is created. This processed citrus peelmaterial 130, being non-pollutive in its creation, can be used in amyriad of products for both human and non-human consumption.

An embodiment of the present invention continuously employs steam todirectly and indirectly rapidly elevate much of the peel mass/peel cakematerial temperature to above 212 degrees F. (at sea level), allowsentrained oils/sugars/integral water to be rapidly released from thepeel and employs simple mechanical means such as vertical/horizontalscrew presses and belt presses.

However, in this embodiment, the steam used to process the peel is freeof the chemical water treatment additives that are sometimes found inthe production of steam. The excluded compounds include: anti-scalingadditives, such as inorganic powdered sulphite; oxygen scavengers suchas Sulphite Tannin DEHA Carbohydrazide, and the like. If thesecompounds, or chemicals similar in chemical structure and use, come intocontact with an end product intended for human consumption, theotherwise edible material can be rendered non-consumable.

There are at least two ways in which steam can be used in direct contactwith a food use product and not reduce its edible quality. One method isthe employment of steam created by a clean steam generator. This type ofapparatus is basically a vessel using immersed heating elements to boilstandard tap water under pressure and thus create a steam source. Thismethod is mainly used where the pounds/hour of steam required is low(e.g. 10-300 pounds/hour) and is usually employed in hospitalenvironments or food packaging applications. This type of clean steamgeneration requires substantial electricity usage in the creation ofclean steam and is not economically practical when flow rates exceed 300pounds/hour.

The second clean steam generating method comprises the use of a steamfiltration system, which is a bank of filtering canisters mounted inparallel and manufactured in such a way as to capture and retain themany foreign compounds resulting from the use of boiler water treatmentsystem technology, thereby turning process steam into clean and usablesteam for food contact use. In addition, the filtration canisters,supplied with replaceable cartridges, remove any condensate from thesteam flow. The steam filtration system of the present invention notonly converts process steam into clean steam—it concurrently convertsthe steam (5-35 psig) from a saturated steam flow into a dry steam flow.This results in a reduction of the amount of condensate and maximizesheat transfer into the raw peel and subsequent peel cake, or pressateslurry mixtures, with minimal resultant condensate.

The resultant food grade emulsion from each of the three subsequentseries of steam injection 102, 104, 106 and indirect heating conveyed(commonly referred to as blanching 110, 112. 114) and screw press steps120 122, 124 is processed in such a fashion as to raise the brix levelfor the evaporator emulsion from the 1st stage press group to anunprecedented level of 5-10 deg. brix. The three progressive steaminjection conveying vessels 110, 112, 114 and immediate screw pressoperation 120, 122, 124, produces a final stage citrus peel cakecontaining minimal residual oil and a low sugar residual and uses nosolvents and only thermal and mechanical forces. The moisture content ofthe press cake is lower than that achieved by the toxic chemicaldewatering chemistry, even if it is combined with screw presstechnology.

The peel products made by this clean steam method are food-grade qualityand include: citrus peel sugar, citrus peel oil, citrus peel water, andhigh quality citrus peel pectin pomace. The steam injection system inconjunction with the heated pressate and sanitary system process designis unlike any prior citrus peel process design in operation today. Inaddition, the limited amount of steam needed to expand the citrus peeland rapidly raise the peel temperature leaves little condensate to beremoved later in the process.

Unlike prior art citrus peel processing designs that use massive amountsof water in their processing procedures, only steam and a minimal amountof water (in this case condensate) is introduced according to anembodiment of the present invention. In addition, the condensatereleases its thermal energy (enthalpy) into the peel mass and pressatemixtures and thereby raises the temperature very quickly. The ratio ofpounds of raw peel to pounds of steam (condensate) is approximately 10lbs of peel mass to less than 1 pounds of condensate. By comparison, theonly other water based peel process design has a ratio of 10 pounds ofpeel mass to more than 25 pounds of water. Thus, the water solventsystem uses approx 25 times more water than the continuous steaminjected process design of the presented invention.

Embodiments of the present invention allow pressate emulsion to exceed5.0 deg. brix versus a water batch design that produces an emulsion lessthan 4.5 deg. brix. However, products with more than 4.5 deg. brixsugar/water/oil emulsion are ideal for fermentation into ethanol, oncethe oil has been removed by standard centrifugation techniques. Inaddition, the emulsion is hot (greater than 140 deg. F.) which is anideal temperature to begin fermentation into ethanol and/or evaporation(concentration) steps. Indeed, approximately, 20,000 gallons of ethanolcan be made from 1,000,000 gallons of 8-10 deg. Brix peel sugar/wateremulsion.

Moreover, an embodiment of the present invention yields a considerableamount of salable processed pectin pomace. In contrast, current citrusprocess systems that generate ethanol do not produce pectin pomace, plusa considerable amount of product is lost in the form of sludgedischarged by centrifugation of pressate prior to evaporation in a wasteheat evaporator. A waste heat evaporator is a highly inefficientevaporative apparatus unlike that of a standard 5-effect TASTE(Thermally Accelerated Short Term Evaporation) evaporator as used in theprocess of the present invention.

Additionally, evaporative equipment needs are far less than one third inthis embodiment as compared to that of the water super-saturation batchtype design. Moreover, no toxic chemical dewatering additives are usedin the practice of the present invention. Further, an innovative arrayof new products can result from the highly efficient citrus peel processdesign of the present invention that are adapted for both human andnon-human consumption.

Some examples of human consumable products will be described. One foodproduct produced by the present invention is de-oiled/de-sugared/driedcitrus peel that is milled into citrus peel fiber flour. This fiberflour can range from greater than 50 mesh (US Tyler Standard) to less200 mesh (US Tyler Standard). This very beneficial and healthful citruspeel fiber flour can be added to a myriad of baked goods, breadproducts, pastries, cookies, cakes, juices, juice blends, saladdressings, sauces, mixes, seasonings, meat rubs, etc., to reduce the netcarbohydrate value, and to increase fiber content and anti-oxidantvalue. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) of the processedcitrus peel mass generated by the present invention is 115. This is avery high value in healthy anti-oxidants, and is also known to be aneffective natural shelf life extender or preservative that can easilyreplace such chemical preservatives such as: BHT, BHA, benzoates, sodiumnitrate, sulphites, sorbates, propionic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid,etc. These preservatives can be replaced with a small percentage ofcitrus peel fiber flour when incorporated into manufactured and naturalfood products, including baked goods, juices, sauces, mixes of allkinds, salad dressings, etc. Thus, a healthier food/juice/mix/sauce/etc.food product is created that stays fresher longer without all of theunwanted and unhealthy preservatives and high carbohydrate valueassociated with a product that does not contain citrus peel fiber flour.Also, the continuous steam injected peel cellular expanded material hasbeen successfully tested and can be used as the major percentagecomponent in many important human consumable non-meat (vegan) productssuch as: vege-burgers, vege-hotdogs, vege-sausages, vege-lunch meat,vege-Salisbury steak, vege-chicken salad, vege-shrimp salad, etc. Thiscontinuous steam injected peel product can become a healthy andnutritious ingredient in many foods to lessen the amount of unhealthycomponents that are so prominent in many of today's high fat andcarbohydrate laden food products.

A few examples of non-human consumables will now be described. Two veryimportant non-human products made via the steam injected citrus peelprocess of the present invention are: Pet food filler and nutritionbooster and a very healthy natural binding agent in wet type pet foodsthat is high in fiber (82.7%) and anti-oxidants (ORAC 115). The highpectin/fiber/antioxidant quality characteristics easily replaceingredient cohesion agents such as wheat gluten, wheat gluten proteinand vegetable fat that are currently used and are very unhealthy. Inaddition, allergic reactions to wheat gluten is quite prominent inhumans. Moreover, most wheat gluten is imported and in recent times hasbeen found to be unsafe and/or dangerously tainted. Currently, there isno viable safe and healthful alternative in the market place for thesetypes of products other than citrus peel fiber flour. Citrus peel“pectin pomace” fiber flour, made via the highly efficient and foodgrade continuous steam injected process of the present invention worksas a tremendously healthy food filler/binding agent high in naturalantioxidants and crude fiber.

The significance of the continuous steam injection process is theability to manufacture edible products high in anti-oxidants. Ratherthan just making an incremental improvement over the currently operativewaste peel process, the process of the present invention is a quantumleap ahead of the current peel processing system. Indeed, all otherprocessing technologies have so many inherent design/operational flawsthat they are not feasible to build. With the introduction of thetechnology of the present invention, the value of processed/dried citruspeel is vastly increased and commercially desirable.

The continuous steam injection citrus peel cellular expansion processwill be described. To execute this new steam induced process, severalsignificant changes are made to current citrus peel processingmethodology. The first change is to add a step to mechanically separate132 the inherent seed population from the rag and peel. This greatlyreduces the potential bitter taste from all end products (dried peelmass, oil, sugar, and water fractions) and creates a secondarymarketable process stream of saleable seeds 134. Once graded and removedof fugitive peel fiber pieces/rag/etc., the fugitive seeds 134 areremoved from the raw peel prior to cellular expansion. The separatedseeds 134, which can either be pressed to extract citrus seed oil orfrozen whole and/or dried, have market demand and values of their own.Current waste peel processing and drying systems do not contain aseed-separation step 132 in the manufacture of processed citrus peel. Asa result, end products are inherently additionally tainted by the seeds.This increases the limitations for many potential uses of products fromcurrent technologies for both human and non-human use.

Additionally, current conventional processed and dried citrus flake issometimes pelletized in order to increase the density of the crudelyprocessed/dried peel from approximately 15 pounds/cubic foot toapproximately 40-50 pounds/cubic foot. As a common practice, themolasses (crude sugar) collected from the waste heat evaporators, whichare driven by the exhaust heat from the grossly inefficient rotarydryers, is sprayed onto the peel flake and/or pellets in the attempt tosweeten the toxic, bitter dried peel mass to entice the cattle to eatthe material. This is a tremendous waste of fermentable sugar that couldbe used in the fermentation process to produce ethanol.

Furthermore, the pelletized dried citrus material is produced mainly forthe ocean going ship export business to maximize freight tonnage andfuel efficiency. The freighters are approximately 30,000 to 40,000 tonsand travel mostly to the England. To date, the value of citrus peelpellets (CPP) has rarely exceeded $0.06/pound (120.00/ton) and shippingcosts are approximately $12.00/ton ($480,000.00/40,000 ton freighter).The current value of CPP is approximately $0.04-08/lb($80.00-$160.00/ton). Please note that the CPP is the same material ascurrently processed/dried citrus peel flake, but it is run through apellet mill to increase its density with the added molasses that issprayed on and then cooled to add more weight to the pelletized mass.Moreover, citrus peel flake is barely economically sold locally due tothe high cost of ground transportation and the low economic valueassociated with both CPP/citrus peel flake.

In addition, storage problems are abundant when CPP is stored inconventional vertical silos. CPP will inherently expand (swell in size)over time with the presence of high humidity conditions (more than 65%RH) and form bridge blockages within vertical silos. Thisprevents/inhibits the vertical silo from being emptied from standardbottom unloading machines without major effort and cost. Installation ofexpensive high pressure compressed air blasters is a common method tocope with this anomaly, but is not a guarantee of success. Onlyhorizontal storage facilities (large free span metal buildings fittedwith sub floor screw conveyors) can accommodate CPP and/or citrus peelflake removal operations without too much trouble. Front end loaders arethen used to vector the pellets/peel flake into the sub-floor screwconveyors for storage removal and conveyance.

Calcium oxide (CaO) is the most commonly used citrus peel chemicaldewatering agent (Quick Lime). As explained above, CPP and dried citruspeel flake made with the addition of Quick Lime can be used ONLY as arationed cattle feed supplement due to the generation of the toxiccompound Calcium Hydroxide (Ca(OH)2). Calcium Hydroxide, commonlyreferred to as household lye, is very harmful to humans when ingestedand thus makes all foods tainted with this compound labeled as not forhuman use. Conventional CPP is made using wet hammer mill disintegrationtechnology where wet end particulate pieces range from four squareinches to tenths of a square inch. These extreme random results fromcrude and rudimentary particulate generating equipment makes it nearimpossible to make a pellet that has any viable chance of keeping thegeometric shape once leaving the pellet mill die. However, this methodhas been in use for over 50 years without any improvements made sinceits conception. In addition, the extensive oil and sugar that remain inconventional processed citrus peel inherently ferments and immediatelyexpands upon being made.

In contrast, the continuous steam injected citrus peel process of thepresent invention does not employ harmful chemical dewatering agents orprocessing chemicals. In addition, it generates many valued productsthat are very versatile and all edible food grade such as: dried citruspeel biomass, food grade citrus peel, CitruSmart™ food grade sweetener,de-bittered citrus peel sugar solids, food grade peel oils (e.g. coldpress oil and d-limonene), and natural “citrus water” which is producedfrom the evaporation process by a TASTE evaporator (or similarevaporator).

Further, the steam injected citrus peel cellular expansion process addsmany supplemental value added by-products that are all food gradequality due to the unique and totally innovative process design and theuse of all stainless steel material contact components, etc.

One of the highly useful and valuable by-products is food grade citruspeel molasses (sugar), when evaporated via a designated TASTE evaporatoror equivalent apparatus. This 100% safe-to-ingest citrus peel sugar hastremendous value in the manufacture of alcohol for the consumable spiritindustry (e.g. distilleries). This sugar can also be a source forethanol production as a motor fuel additive, as previously mentioned(e.g. gasoline/alcohol blend for “E85” gasoline). Also, during TASTEevaporation, a valuable/higher quality d-limonene is produced vs. thatfrom a traditional waste heat evaporator currently used in today'scitrus peel processes.

Excessive, high temperature combustion heat (either by direct fireNatural Gas, Propane, and/or Fuel Oil sources) is the norm in today'sprocessed citrus peel rotary dryers and blackens/burns the materialbeing dried. Moreover, moisture control is nearly impossible soover-drying is the common practice to insure that minimal wet product isdischarged from the dryer. Thus, blackened/charred product (out ofspecification) usually exits the dryer. In addition, these dryers takeup to 90 minutes to dry from a 77%-80% moisture content to a 15%moisture content. Further, the dryers are crudely built withnon-stainless steel (non-food grade) contact materials, and have anextremely high BTUs/pound of water removal ratio (usually over 3,300BTUs/lb. water removed). In contrast, the dryers of the presentinvention are fitted with food grade internals such as: a fluidized bedor a traveling bed (known as static bed) and/or rotary drying methodsand require, in most cases, less than 1,400 BTUs/lb. of water removed.On the other hand, existing peel process rotary peel cake dryers areclearly one of the most inefficient, non-human product drying machines.

Contrastingly, embodiments of the present invention produce high qualitycitrus peel oil/sugar/water are created, as well as a pectin pomace, andcitrus peel fiber flour of unequaled purity. The steam induced citruspeel expansion process stands alone in its ability to create such highbrix food grade emulsions (8-10 deg. Brix) while requiring the leastamount of energy in doing so. Additionally, the process creates noadverse waste discharge materials of any kind, while creating many valueadded by products of extensive human and non-human (i.e. mostly petfood) uses.

Moreover, if chemically dewatered citrus peel pellets (CPP) and/or driedcitrus peel flake are improperly fed to milking cows, the milk cow'sability to generate milk can experience serious disruptions. Thisdisruption in lactating ability is called scours.

The processed and dried peel mass produced by the present invention,however, is 100% ingestible providing valuable health benefits to allconsumers and animals. Therefore, a multitude of non-human uses for thede-oiled/de-sugared dried citrus peel, high in anti-oxidants, result inthe wet and dry pet food industries.

Back to the deseeding of the peel, this step 132 assists in immediatelylimiting the amount of tramp/fugitive citrus seeds that ride alongwithin the peel. This is most apparent with peel ejected from juiceextractors built by the FMC Corporation (FMC) or similar devices. Theend function and mission of the deseeding equipment 132 is to produce aprocessable peel mass 142 that is thoroughly seedless in itscomposition. Minimizing seed tainted raw peel material yields a peelmass with the least inherent bitterness when processed and dried via theprocesses and techniques described below.

Citrus peel deseeding 132 is best accomplished by a few methods. Oneoption is to slowly rotate a perforated rolled plate or reinforced wovenwire cloth cylinders in excess of 3 feet diameter vs. 6-10 feet inlength. This type of de-stoner is fitted with internal productlifting/separation paddles that allow the peel to slowly tumble as peelmass moves toward the discharge end. Repetitive opportunities areprovided for seeds to become dislodged from the peel mass and escapethrough the perforations in the cylindrical wall. A companion smallerdiameter grid clearing brush system mounted on the outside of therotating screen and extending tangent to the exterior cylinder wallcontinuously clears the screen of material lodged in the grid.De-stoning equipment of such diameter in the internal cylinder designallows spherical and elliptical items like stones and/or citrus seeds tofall through the perforations and to be carried off to other processingfunctions away from the main peel flow. The rotating de-stoner/deseedercylinder is sloped from inlet to discharge of such a degree as to inducedesired material conveyance while allowing adequate dwell time withinthe rotating cylinder to accomplish the desired deseeded results 146.Additional opportunities are provided for seeds to become dislodged fromthe peel mass and escape through the perforations in the cylindricalwall rotating gleaning machine.

Another option is to incorporate multi-deck shaker conveyors, fittedwith a self-cleaning random ball system. This allows mature as well asimmature seeds to fall through to the lower deck and to be safelydischarged and collected, while the continuous screen clearing systemprovides a continuous grid clearing area to allow continuous deseedingof the conveyed peel 148.

Because the deseeding step 132 removes unwanted seeds 134 that add themost bitterness to any processed peel, the need for very expensivedebittering equipment is minimized.

Once the raw incoming peel 148 has been properly deseeded 132, the peel142 is carried via one or more conveyors to the peel disintegrator 150.The peel disintegrator 150 is an apparatus that cuts the peel mass intoa specific and uniform particulate size. This method allows capture ofadditional processable peel mass that would be lost if the current andwidely accepted hammer milling process is employed. Peel that goesthrough a hammer mill is macerated into a slimy, wide size variableparticulate mass. In doing so, a tremendous amount of once potentiallyprocessable peel mass is lost. This loss in pectin peel mass ends upbeing mixed into the “emulsion” side of the current peel processingsystem. This high load of pectin in the emulsion would disrupt anycontinuous evaporator (i.e. TASTE evaporator).

The macerated pectin peel mass material ends up being removed as apectin paste sludge by a high speed centrifugation step performed on theemulsion prior to evaporation. Hence, the common hammer milling step isan antiquated, extremely deleterious peel disintegrating processing stepthat is employed in a futile attempt to produce a marginal valued peelreduced particulate.

Conversely, the high speed cutting mechanism 150 used in the steaminjected process of the present invention minimizes peel loss andmaximizes the production of the many subsequent value added products.This is achieved by creating a non-macerated particle that produces anunprecedented amount of cross-sectional surface area from the peel ofconsistent uniform size, while minimizing damaging impact anddesecration of the original peel mass.

Moreover, continuously injecting steam into the de-seeded peel mass canbe accomplished by modifying existing peel reaction screw vessels (ifconstructed of all Stainless Steel contact components), by installingdirect steam input nozzles and/or valve assemblies. These convertedreaction screws result in blanching equipment 110, 112, 114 thatindirectly heat by the installation of either all or one the followingheat additive means: hollow screw flighting and/or low pressure steamheated jacketing on the screw trough and/or tub with steam injectionnozzles. Current waste citrus peel processors use these stainless steelpeel reactors to mix and convey either powdered CaO or liquid CaOsolution into the peel mass. The reaction of free and bound water withthe chemical dewatering agent creates the toxic compound Ca (OH)2 (asdescribed earlier). During this process, reaction heat is generatedquickly and turns the peel into a slimy, reddish purple mass. The slimecoats the peel and adversely affects press performance.

The chemical dewatering agent actually does more harm than good in theattempt to dewater the peel. As stated earlier, hammer mills create apeel particulate distribution of such great size variation. This widerange of particulates drastically reduces press performance, dryerefficiency, and palletizing ability.

The peel reactor mixing action is used to maximize contact between CaOand peel surface area as possible in the shortest time prior to itsentry into a screw press. However, this process is really adverse to thereality as the slime generation is quickened and thus makes pressingequally more difficult and less efficient. These peel reactors arecommonly large stainless steel U-trough screw conveyor designs of 18″diameter -36″ diameter, which vary in length and are fitted with eitherpaddles, cut or cut and folded, flight configurations, to mix and conveythe peel mass/CaO mixture to the pressing operations. Some reactionscrew conveyor/mixers can be as long as 80 feet. These existing reactionscrews can be replaced with a continual mixing/conveyor apparatus thathave both direct and indirect steam heat emitting productioncapabilities, like that of standard blanching apparatus equipped withboth indirect/direct steam heating apparatus (steam jacketed troughand/or hollow flight mixing-conveyor augers). However, instead ofreplacing existing reaction screws, they can also be modified by all orsome of the following modifications described below.

A common waste peel reaction vessel can be fitted with steam injectionnozzles that are equipped with steam flow control mechanisms and outsidetrough insulation to maximize heat transfer into the peel mass andminimize condensation within the reaction screw. These modifications,added to any typical citrus peel reaction screw, can be improved byreplacing standard mixing/conveying flighting with a steam fired hollowflight conveyor and/or adding indirect steam heat transfer coils mountedon the outside of the existing screw trough. These modifications furtherimprove the heating capability of the reactor vessel to impose indirectheat upon the peel, pressate mixture or peel cake, which in turnimproves the ability to extract oil, sugar, and water from the peelpressed mass.

During the direct steam injection process and using a clean steamsource, some volatile peel oil (d-limonene) within the peel can bereleased as a vapor and mixes with the steam vapor. The internal peelwater physically changes from captive cellular water to released watervapor and very volatile peel oil which ruptures the peel cellularstructure. During the phase change, where bound cellular water and oilare converted into cellular water vapor and gaseous oil vapor, the cellsac or vesicle basically ruptures. The water vapor/oil vapor mixture isremoved from the covered modified peel reaction vessels via ducting andnatural laws of convection. The water and oil vapors are then condensedvia water cooled heat exchangers. The resultant solution can be sent toa centrifuge to accomplish “cold press” quality peel oil extraction andwater separation or via peel oil decanting in a holding tank. Oil risesto the surface and is then skimmed off and collected. The oil skimmingdevice may comprise an endless loop mechanism that is widely used in thewaste water treatment industry for oil and grease removal prior towastewater treatment.

The amount of extracted residual peel oil that exists within wastecitrus peel can vary greatly. This is dependent upon what type ofinitial peel oil removal equipment the fruit is subjected to prior tojuice extraction and by fruit type.

Instead of raw peel being sent to a conventional hammer mill or similardevice that macerates the peel into randomly sized particles at aconsiderable cost in terms of lost pectin mass, the juice extracted peelis sent to a deseeding operation 132 to remove a large volume of seedsfrom the juice extract peel first. The seeds can be removed via variousarray of de-stoning/gleaning apparatuses, as previously described, thatremoves both the mature and immature seeds. The recovered seeds 134 arefurther processed into other by-products such as citrus seed oil, citrusseed meal, dried/frozen seeds, and the like 160. The apparatus 132 forremoving seeds can also be designed as linear vibratory multi-deckshaker conveyors or perforated cylinders, woven wire cloth screencylinders large enough to allow mature and immature seeds to exit thepeel flow, or woven wire cloth of appropriate wire diameter and griddesign allowing mature seeds to pass through the grid and conveyed on toother seed collection and processing systems. The deseeded peel 146continues onward to the next step of unique peel oilextraction/reduction process, described below.

Peel disintegration will now be described. The de-seeded peel 146 isconveyed and metered after peel stream passes through a high volumemetal detection device 162. This device 162 quickly diverts the peelstream to a waste conveyor for an allotted time to adequately divert anytramp metal 164 harboring within the peel mass. The deseeded peel stream142, adequately assured to be free of tramp metal, flows into the highspeed peel cutting apparatus 150, previously described, that preciselyand continuously produces a non-macerated peel particle mass that isuniform in size. This step can be accomplished with equipment suppliedby Urschel Laboratories equipment, Hobart Equipment, and similarmachines 150 fitted with similar cutting internals and design. Thisinitial peel size reduction machine uniquely allows the peel mass to beprocessed for maximum oil/peel/water separation, made possible by theexponential increase in exposed peel cross sectional area. This greatchange in the physical peel characteristics allows an immense amount ofthe peel cellular structure to be exposed for live steam contact. Thelive clean steam, which is at a temperature in excess of 250 degrees F.,forces bound oil and water to be rapidly released, along with inherentsugar solids.

When the peel mass is cut into small, precise size segments andintroduced into a live clean steam environment, pectin and peel massloss is minimized. This yields a far superior peel mass which isexpanded during the extremely quick rise in the peel, peel cake andslurry (internal temperature from ambient to over 150 deg. F. in amatter of seconds).

The processing of the peel by the modified peel reaction screw orblanchers will now be described. Now that the peel has been properlydeseeded and precisely cut/reduced to a homogeneous particle sizeexhibiting a tremendous amount of area per unit volume, the peel enterseither a modified peel reaction screw vessel or a standard blancher 110.This type of apparatus adds a specific quantity of clean steam, from adesignated pressure line, to continuously and quickly raise the cut peelmass and/or slurry temperature (from ambient to over 150 deg. F.) with aminimal net water (condensate) addition to the peel mass and/or slurry.

This process accomplishes at least two items. One is in addition to theintroduction of continuous clean steam into the continuous peel massflow, the steaming zone area is also fitted with “indirect” steamheating area surfaces (i.e. steam jacketed trough and/or steam floodedhollow flight mixing auger) that allow on line peel process moistureand/product temperature adjustments to be made to the peel mass, asrequired. This is done to maintain the desired product temperature andsimultaneously produce minimal net condensate introduction intopeel/peel cake mass. Incorporating such process controls in a real timefashion allows for superior efficiency in adjusting steam/heat inputs toeffectively expand the citrus peel sacs, plus extraction ofoil/water/sugar solids, as incoming product variations are common withany type of citrus peel mass flow.

Another important item is the quickly controlled peel mass and/or slurryrise in temperature. Specifically, the rise in temperature utilizes acontrolled minimal amount of steam condensate within a specific dwelltime. This allows for maximum oil and sugar release within individualcitrus peel oil sacs and membranes. Moreover, this is accelerated duringthe subsequent screw press 120 liquids/mass separation step immediatelyafter the blanching operation 110. The cellular expansion that has takenplace within each precisely cut peel oil vesicle allows the peel mass toreadily give up the liquid contents inherent within the processed peelmass and or peel cake. Additionally, the controlled live steam flow 102introduction to the peel mass and indirect steam heating to theprocessing reactor troughs, achieved either by steam heated hollowflight conveyor and/or steam heated coils attached to the outside of thereactor zone, allows additional product temperature control to the peelmass slurry. Specifically, in this embodiment, the temperature of theprocessed peel, emulsion, cut peel emulsion or slurry is controlled tonot less than 150 deg F. throughout each of the three (3) continuousblanching 110, 112, 114 and pressing operations 120, 122, 124.

The initially deseeded and now raw/cut peel mass is thoroughly heated,cellular expanded, agitated/mixed with emulsion from the 2nd stage presspressate, and conveyed or mixed in the first of 3 blanchers. Once thepeel emulsion slurry is continuously mixed and heated for approx. 10-20minutes, the slurry is pumped and flow controlled to the 1st stage pressoperation. However, any number of or type of mechanical presses; i.e.vertical, horizontal (single or double screw), or belt type press(es)can be used to accomplished the pressate/peel cake separation.

In this embodiment, before the press operation happens, pressate 170from the 2nd stage press(es) 122 is pumped into the first blancher 110,once it is heated to over 150 deg. F. and combines with the incomingdeseeded/metal free, raw, cut peel. Incoming deseeded/raw/cut peelentering the 1st stage blancher 110 is about 5-0.8:1 ratio of pressate:peel mass and is maintained at the 1st blancher/mixing step while liveclean steam 102 is injected into the peel/peel cake mass slurry atvarious flow rates to accomplish a quick rise in slurry temperature.Screw press head cone pressure and proper selection of screw pressscreen perforations creates this match in mass of down stream pressateand incoming upstream raw peel and/or peel press cake.

The pressate 170 from the 2nd stage press(es), produced after the 2ndblanching operation, is at a brix level of 2-3 degree brix. This 2ndstage pressate 170 sugar/oil/water solution is mixed with the rawincoming deseeded/freshly cut peel in the 1st stage blancher 110, onlyafter the pressate 170 is passed through a heat exchanger (where itstemperature is raised to about 150 degrees F.) This ultimately creates a1st stage pressate solution to an unprecedented high brixsugar/oil/water emulsion of greater than 5-10 degree brix. This 1ststage pressate solution is then centrifuged for particulateclarification/removal and then can be sent to at two differentprocesses. One process is an ethanol fermentation process, since itsphysical temperature and brix level of the emulsion are ideal forfermentation processing for ethanol manufacturing.

Another method is to pump 1^(st) stage pressate solution to a TASTEevaporator or similar type apparatus for the creation of the followingfood grade products: high grade citrus peel d-limonene; or high gradecitrus peel molasses (sugar concentrate) or cloud as it sometimesreferred, at 30-70 deg. brix. This type of high grade citrus peelmolasses can be used as a beverage drink base and/or used in thealcoholic beverage distillation industry, or the fuel ethanol industry,or can be easily stored in refrigerated large volume storage tanks foruse at a later date.

The evaporative water from the evaporator is a type of citrus water thatcan be used for boiler feed water make-up, fruit washing, plant washdown operations or saleable citrus water. This type of citrus water canbe used in the cosmetics industry, shampoos, etc. but most importantlyis used as the final rinse mixing water for 2nd stage press cake andmixed together at the 3rd (final) stage blancher 124 operation.

Press citrus peel cake exiting the first stage press(es) then enters(either pumped or cascaded) into the 2nd stage blancher and mixes withthe pressate, after going through a heat exchanger to raise the pressatetemperature to >140 deg. F. from the 3rd stage press and live cleansteam is added to elevate and maintain the peel cake temperature above140 deg. F. during mixing/conveying. In this embodiment, the 2nd stageblancher is similar to the 1st stage blancher, yet the required size issmaller due to the incremental decrease in mass (liquid andsolid/material) density and volumes as oils/sugars are beingprogressive/incrementally/continuously removed through each subsequentcontinuous blanching/pressing step.

Mixing time for the equal parts of 1st stage press cake and 3rd stagepressate 174 in the 2nd stage blancher 112 ranges from 9-40 minutesdepending upon the type/variety of peel being processed (i.e. orange:temples, valencias, hamlins, navels, etc. or grapefruit: pink or red, orlemons). Once the mixture of each subsequent part from the 1st stagepeel press cake and 3rd stage pressate 174, which is 1.5-0.05 deg.Brix., exits the 2nd stage blancher 112 the live steam heated/cellularexpanded mixture cascades/enters the 2nd stage press. The resultantpressate, being at an advantageous temperature in excess of 140 deg. F.and ranges between 1.5-3.5 degree brix., leaves the 2nd stage press 122and mixes with the resultant incoming deseeded/raw/cut peel in 1st stageblancher 110, thus entering the 1st stage blanching process.

Press cake 176 from 2nd stage press cascades/enters directly into the3rd stage blancher 114 in a ratio of approximately 1 pound press cake(from 2nd stage) to 0.25-1.0 pound condensate (from the TASTEEvaporator) and is mixed with clean evaporative water 178 from the TASTEevaporator in a ratio of approximately 1 pound of cake to 1 pound ofwater and with clean live steam 106. If no evaporative apparatus is usedto process the 1st stage pressate emulsion, potable water can besubstituted for the absence of an evaporative water supply in the aboveratio to the 2nd stage press cake 176 that enters the 3rd stage blancher114 and subsequent 3rd stage press 124. The 3rd stage blancher 114 issomewhat smaller than the 2nd stage blancher 112, since the overall peelcake mass has been reduced. Hence, lesser volume/size equipment isrequired with each progressive combination Blanching/Press step as arethe number of presses of like HP/speed.

In sum, referring again to FIGS. 1-3, the raw peel 148 is deseeded bydeseeders 132. The seeds 134 are then sent to a press, dryer or freezer160 while the deseeded peel 146 is sent to a metal detector 162. Themetal detector 162 send the tramp metal, chute and waste peel to off toget disposed while deseeded and tramp metal free peel is sent to a highspeed cutter 150. Once cut the peel is sent to a bulker/feeder 180. Thepeel is then sent to a 1st blancher 110 where clean steam 102 isinjected. In addition, the blancher 110 includes a vapor hood andducting (oil and water vapor) 182. The peel mixture is then sent to a1st screw press 120. Pressate collection 184 is then sent to aevaporator 186 or tanker for ethanol processing (8-10 brix) emulationwhile the press cake 172 is sent to the 2nd blancher 112 where cleansteam 104 is injected. The peel is then sent to 2nd screw press 122. Thepressate collection 170 is then sent back to mix with the peel in the1st blancher 110 while the press cake 176 is sent to the third blancher114 where clean steam 106 is injected. The peel is then sent to thethird screw press 124. The pressate collection 174 is sent back to the2nd blancher 112 while the press cake 150 is sent to a dryer.

Upon completion of the 3rd stage blanching step 114, the heated mixturecascades, is pumped, or is conveyed into the 3rd stage press 124. The3rd stage pressate 140 being at 0.05-1.0 degree brix, is collected andheated to not less than 150 deg. F. It is then mixed with the 1st stagepress cake, where they both enter the 2nd stage blancher 112. The cleansteam direct and indirect process steam heated blanching apparatusthoroughly mixes the now very viscous mixture to insure maximumopportunity for final cellular expansion. This final heated mixture ispressed by the 3rd stage press 124 where the discharged cake 140, beingat a moisture of approximately 74%-82% WWB, is now ready to be dried viaany one of the previous food grade drying technologies aforementioned(e.g. fluidized bed, rotary cylindrical, static traveling bed). Any ofthese drying methods dries the 3rd stage peel cake 130 into a food gradecitrus peel mass that can be physically altered into a myriad of foodand non food use products.

The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided toenable those skilled in the art to make or use the present invention.Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art and generic principles defined herein may beapplied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scopeof the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to belimited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widestscope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosedherein.

1. A citrus peel treating process comprising the steps of: providing aquantity of raw citrus peel; removing substantially all of the seedsfrom the quantity of raw citrus peel; removing substantially all trampmetal from the quantity of raw citrus peel; cutting the quantity of rawcitrus peel into pieces thereof; providing a blancher; directing thepieces of raw citrus peel into and through the blancher; steaming thepieces of raw citrus peel in the blancher with clean steam that is freeof chemical water treatment additives; providing a press; directing thepieces of raw citrus peel from the blancher into and through the press;and mechanically pressing the pieces of raw citrus peel in the press,thereby transforming the pieces of raw citrus peel into press cake andpressate; wherein the clean steam is the only water introduced to theprocess.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the blancher thereof comprisesa first blancher, wherein the press thereof comprises a first press, andwherein the press cake and pressate produced by the first presscomprises first press cake and first press pressate, and including theadditional steps of: providing a second blancher; directing the firstpress cake formed by the first press into and through the secondblancher; steaming the first press cake formed by the first press in thesecond blancher with clean steam that is free of chemical watertreatment additives; providing a second press; directing the press cakereceived from the second blancher into and through the second press;mechanically pressing the press cake received from the second blancherin the second press, thereby forming second press cake and secondpressate; directing the second pressate from the second press into andthrough the first blancher; steaming the second pressate from the secondpress in the first blancher with clean steam that is free of chemicalwater treatment additives; directing the second pressate from the firstblancher into and through the first press; and mechanically pressing thesecond pressate in the first press.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein thesecond pressate from the first blancher has a brix level of at least 5degree brix.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second pressate fromthe first blancher has a brix level of up to 10 degree brix.
 5. Themethod according to claim 2 including the additional steps of: providinga third blancher; directing the second press cake from the second pressinto and through the second third blancher; steaming the second presscake from the second press in the third blancher with clean steam thatis free of chemical water treatment additives; providing a third press;directing the press cake from the third blancher into and through thethird press; mechanically pressing the press cake received from thethird blancher in the third press, thereby forming low oil, low sugar,washed peel cake, and third pressate; directing the third pressate intoand through the second blancher; steaming the third pressate in thesecond blancher with clean steam that is free of chemical watertreatment additives; directing the third pressate from the secondblancher into and through the second press; and mechanically pressingthe third pressate in the second press.
 6. The method of claim 5 furthercomprising evaporating the second pressate from the first blancher in aTASTE evaporator to form citrus water.
 7. The method of claim 6 furthercomprising mixing the citrus water with the second press cake from thesecond press before directing the second press cake into and through thethird blancher.
 8. The method of claim 5 further comprising drying thelow oil, low sugar, washed peel cake.
 9. The method of claim 5 whereinthe process operates continuously without forming a process batch. 10.The method of claim 5 wherein the process creates one or more of thefollowing food grade peel products: citrus peel sugar, citrus peel oil,citrus peel water, citrus peel pectin pomace, and citrus peel fiberflour.
 11. The method of claim 5 wherein the third blancher is smallerthan the first blancher and the second blancher.
 12. The method of claim1 wherein steaming the pieces of raw citrus peel in the blanchercomprises direct steam injection and indirect steam heating.
 13. Themethod of claim 12 wherein direct steam injection comprises adding aspecific quantity of clean steam from a designated pressure line to thepieces of raw citrus peel.
 14. The method of claim 12 wherein indirectsteam heating comprises adjusting the moisture content and temperatureof the pieces of raw citrus peel.
 15. The method of claim 1 whereinsteaming the pieces of raw citrus peel in the blancher furthercomprises: adding heat to the pieces of raw citrus peel; rupturing atleast some of the cells of the pieces of raw citrus peel; and releasingliquid, sugar and oil bound within the pieces of raw citrus peel. 16.The method of claim 15 further comprising raising the temperature of thepieces of raw citrus peel to at least 150 degrees F.
 17. A citrus peeltreating process comprising the steps of: processing pieces of rawcitrus peel through a plurality of progressive, continuous cleansteaming and mechanical pressing stages; transforming the pieces of rawcitrus peel into press cake and pressate; wherein the clean steam is theonly water introduced to the process.
 18. The method of claim 17 whereinclean steaming the pieces of raw citrus peel further comprises rupturingat least some of the cells of the pieces of raw citrus peel.
 19. Acitrus peel treating process comprising the steps of: processing piecesof raw citrus peel through a plurality of progressive, continuous cleansteaming and mechanical pressing stages; rupturing at least some of thecells of the pieces of raw citrus peel to release liquid, sugar and oilbound within the pieces of raw citrus peel; and transforming the piecesof raw citrus peel into press cake and pressate; wherein the clean steamis the only water introduced to the process.